The present invention relates to a multi-beam color scanning device which emits a plurality of beams to an object and obtains a three-dimensional color image in accordance with the beams reflected by the object.
Conventionally, the image scanning device as described above has been widely used. Examples of such an image scanning device are disclosed in Japanese Patent Provisional Publications No. HEI 01-105271 and No. HEI 06-98105. The conventional image scanning device of the above-described type typically includes a polygonal mirror for deflecting light beams in a predetermined direction (i.e., a main scanning direction), and at the same time, an object such as an image formed on a sheet is moved in a direction perpendicular to the main scanning direction.
Recently, an image scanning device for scanning a three-dimensional shape of an object has been desired. However, the conventional image scanning device is configured to capture an image formed on a sheet as a two-dimensional image, and an improved scanning device has been desired.